This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Elsa Jean, a 26-year-old OnlyFans creator and NFT minter. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I’m in the top 1% of OnlyFans creators which means I earn more than 99% of other creators. I retired from the mainstream adult film industry about a year ago.
After retiring, I had extra time to explore my interests and began minting NFTs in November 2022.
I sold over $30,000 worth in just one month, and I don’t plan on leaving the Web3 space anytime soon.
I decided to launch my own NFTs to give my fans something that holds value and that they could invest in that was different from my other content. I started by asking tech-savvy friends and people on Twitter for advice.
My NFTs are limited and allow my fans access to exclusive content. It also offers utility for them. There are a limited number of NFTs so I give them something that can be successful and valuable for all of us.
The exclusive content I offer for holders isn’t available anywhere else; I host virtual parties, post voice notes, and other things. I also make sure the videos are of higher quality.
My NFTs are priced at about $250 USD each. This is different from other Web2 platforms I use like OnlyFans where fans buy a monthly subscription. With NFTs, there’s a limited number of “tickets” available, and fans could sell them down the line and make money.
I want other women to know that NFTs are different and you can have full ownership and control of the content you put out there. NFTs are verified so people can’t just take them. With other content I’ve made on Web2 platforms, people steal it and can put it up anywhere in a matter of seconds. But with Web3, holders of my digital collectibles are less incentivized to copy and share my exclusive token-gated content with the world because it devalues the content and access that their NFT unlocks. And for me, it keeps my content exclusive and more valuable to my community who invests in it.
I particularly enjoy making content for my NFT holders because I’m excited to have full ownership of something for the first time.
When I launched, a lot of my fans were confused because it was not what they were used to seeing me promote. But on the other hand, they are very loyal and were interested in seeing me do something different.
I brought a lot of my fans to the Web3 space for the first time. I did tutorials about how to open up crypto wallets and how to verify NFTs because most of my fans didn’t know how to yet.
I think it’s important to know that this technology is only getting easier to use. I think when NFTs first dropped you couldn’t even use credit cards to make purchases and now you can.
Sadly, never in my life had other women and I come together as a team. But rather suddenly, other women were standing up for me on Twitter. Some people in the Web3 space were attacking me, and they were nervous I would come in to launch NFTs and then never talk about them again.
It was my understanding that other people had come in and promised they were dedicated to Web3 but didn’t actually follow through.
But women in the space defended me and were really inviting. Now, I can talk with them and feel a part of the community.
I’m not really worried about the crypto downturn. When things dip, it motivates me to work a bit harder to turn things around. I don’t think NFTs are going to fall off. I think they’re here to stay, and so am I. I’m pushing for NFTs and promoting them hard.
I hope to grow my exclusive content larger than my other content pages and maybe even want to help manage other girls with their NFT launches.
I really want people to know that I’m not going to do a quick drop and run away with the money I made. I want people to know that this is an investment for me and something I am really dedicated to.
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